Dear Friends,
Today is the International Day of Peace – a day to celebrate hard-won achievements and to remember how much work still remains for those who continue to confront conflict around the world. For us at Just Vision, this day is an opportunity to reflect on the unusually courageous Palestinian and Israeli women and men, both young and old, who choose to adopt and promote nonviolence. Many of these people put their lives and livelihoods at risk, yet remain steadfast in the course they have chosen. We are mindful today of their extraordinary efforts, and invite you to take a moment to see and hear some of their stories on our website.
The International Day of Peace comes at a particularly exciting time for us this year, as we prepare for the wide theatrical release of Budrus in cinemas across the UK, US and many other countries around the world. On September 24th Budrus will open in London, and I will be present during opening weekend for special Q&As. On October 8th the film will be released to theaters in the US, beginning in New York, and continuing later in the month with Los Angeles (October 22nd), Denver (October 22nd) and Washington DC (October 29th). We are also looking forward to having several screenings at the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv Cinematheques (October 7th-19th) and at the Palestine Human Rights Film Festival at An-Najah University in Nablus (September 27th). We are planning special events and Q&As with the filmmakers and protagonists in many of these cities, so if you have ideas for events or groups that would like to come out to see the film, please be in touch with Nadav, our Outreach and Media Associate, at [email protected]. You can also find full information about all our screenings on our events page.
As we prepare for the release, we are also thrilled to announce the launch of our Budrus Street Team, which will play a central role in our effort to bring Budrus to communities and campuses across the US. Members of the Street Team will help us strategize about getting the word out to the communities we plan to visit, and will serve as our ambassadors as we bring Budrus to their towns and cities. We are especially pleased to launch the Street Team on the International Day of Peace, so that the inspiring efforts of Palestinians and Israelis working in the field can touch many more communities across the US. For more information on the Street Team and to sign up, please visit the Street Team section of our website.
As the Jewish and Muslim holidays wind down, and the world takes a brief moment to appreciate those working towards peace, we are incredibly thankful for all the support and encouragement you have provided us. We are eager to bring Budrus to theaters, and look forward to hearing from and seeing many of you as we do so in the coming weeks and months.
With warm regards, and best wishes for a more peaceful year ahead,
Ronit Avni
Founder and Executive Director
Just Vision
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